Scott Wykoff's Blog

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Gelo Is Quite A Fellow

There is no city in the nation like Baltimore. And for this blogger’s money it’s because of
the wonderful people here, characters from all walks of life who make-up the fabric of this
great city.Let me introduce you to one of those people who are truly
unique to Baltimore.Say hello to Gelo. Howard
Gordon “Gelo” Hall Jr. that is.If you’ve ever been to Pimlico it’s a good bet you’ve had
the pleasure of meeting the man with a smile a furlong-wide.The same native Baltimorean who is being honored this week
with The Joe Kelly Maryland Million Unsung Hero Award. This award honors the memory of Maryland horse racing legend
Joe Kelly and is presented by the Board of Directors of the Maryland Million
Ltd. The Maryland Million Unsung Hero award celebrates important
characteristics that are valuable but often unrewarded. An award recognizes honesty,
hard work and humility, qualities which the Maryland Million board says serves
as inspiration to others, both in and out of the horse racing industry in
Maryland.

Qualities Joe Kelly highlighted during his lifetime of covering race.Gelo will be honored this week at the Maryland Million Gala
and Auction at the Maryland Club Friday evening, and in a Winner's Circle
ceremony on Jim McKay Maryland Million Day on Saturday at Laurel Park.Just like the namesake of the award he is being honored with
at “Maryland’s Day at the Races”, Gelo has had a front row seat for some of the
most memorable moments in Maryland racing history.It’s because he has literally done it all in the racing
business since his father first took him to the track at Timonium when he was
just 4 years old.

Over the course of the last 8 decades Gelo has been a
licensed trainer, a jockey's agent and exercise rider. There are few, if any, jobs that Gelo hasn't done be it at the track or at the farm.Throughout his youth he spent time at many race tracks with
his father, who worked as a jock's valet, on the Maryland circuit. "It was
the Sport of Kings," recalled this soft-spoken man. "Pimlico was sort
of a city attraction for all parts of Baltimore. Racing was sort of an everyday
part of our lives in Baltimore City at that time.At 14 he was employed by H.L. Straus to break yearlings at
Cherry Hill Farm in Reisterstown. From there he followed the horses to Pimlico,
and went to work for Frank "Downey" Bonsal. He is a graduate of the Jockey Club School
for Racing Officials. His first official's job was at Arlington Park, where he
worked as a patrol judge.

Through it all Gelo has seen some of the best horses and
races that this sport has ever produced.He was there at Pimlico in 1938 to witness the match race
between Seabiscuit and War Admiral. "He was eye to eye with a
champion," Hall said of underdog Seabiscuit. "The legend of the ages
was his heart and his mind. The legend was being written then." Seabiscuit won this race for the ages,
perhaps the most famous race of all-time.While he’ll never admit to being a legend, who knew that
back in 1938 Gelo was on his way to becoming a racing legend too!Gelo is a man of faith.A life-long member of St. Katherine's Episcopal Church
in West Baltimore. And Gelo carries his faith with him each and every day he
goes to the track.He worked with the Race Track Chaplaincy from its
infancy and watched it grow into a strong presence on American tracks. He
started with the Race Track Ministry in 1975, and while at Arlington Park he
encouraged the Salvation Army to work with the track. He is a man who truly has
influenced and guided many people to a better path. After a conversation his
parting words are often "May the peace of the Lord be always with
you."BTW, why Gelo you ask?It’s short for his late brother Angelo’s nickname of Gelo. A
nickname he inherited when his brother passed away. And boy has he honored his
brother’s memory here in his hometown of Baltimore in so many ways. This blogger can't think of a more deserving winner this week of the award honoring the memory of the great Joe Kelly.